Homecoming hands Emperor first Group 1

HOMECOMING QUEEN became the first Group 1 winner for her sire Holy Roman Emperor with a stunning nine-length victory in Sunday's 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket.

Homecoming Queen cut out the pace in the fillies' Classic butany thoughts that she was setting up the race for her better-fancied stablemate Maybe were dismissed when she showed a stunning turn of foot 2f out to put clear water between herself and her rivals and win by a wide margin.

Starscope,a daughter of Selkirk, ran on to finish a distant second, with Maybe, by Galileo, back in third.

Homecoming Queen is one of 12 stakes winners for Holy Roman Emperor and a first at the highest level.

The Phoenix Stakes and Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner was retired to Coolmore before running at three, to take the place of the subfertile George Washington.

With his oldest crop aged four, Holy Roman Emperor's best known runner before Homecoming Queen was last year's tough filly Banimpire, who was second in the Irish Oaks and sold for €2.3 million at Goffs in November.

Homecoming Queen becomes the third Group 1 winner out of the remarkable mare Lagrion, a daughter of Diesis who was moderate on the racecourse herself, but has also produced Irish Derby and Arc winner Dylan Thomas and Cheveley Park Stakes winner Queen's Logic.

Lagrion has also produced promoted Oaks runner-up Remember When and Blandford Stakes third Love To Dance.